Gettin’ Figgy With It

Have you used Figma before? 

Figma is a game-changing, cloud-based design tool that is revolutionising how we at Lance Montana – and many other web devs and designers – are creating websites and apps. It’s perfect for both UI (user interface) and UX (user experience) design, simplifying the design process by enabling real-time collaboration across teams. In a nutshell, Figma streamlines the design and iteration process for websites and apps. It enables teams to create detailed representations of how sites should look and function, while also simplifying the feedback loop. Team members can effortlessly leave comments directly on the design, allowing for swift and seamless integration of feedback. This makes it easier than ever to refine and perfect digital projects in real-time

Just send a link, and your whole team – developers, clients, and project managers – can view and interact with your designs. Developers can code, comment, and co-create right alongside you, ensuring every project is a true team effort. Whether you’re tweaking vector graphics, prototyping, or managing a complex design system, Figma has the tools to bring your digital visions to life.

But what we also love about Figma is its resource hub that is chocka block full of templates, the latest design news and design innovations, practical tips and tutorials. These resources help to explain components, tools, colours, how grids work and much more. It’s like having a design mentor at your fingertips, ready to clarify the tricky stuff and help you level up from newbie to seasoned pro. Not sticking with Figma? No worries. The skills you develop are easily transferable to other platforms like Sketch or XD.

Essentially it’s an engaging, helpful and great tool for UX designers to spend a lot of their time. The next time we send you a link to a file on Figma – have a look at the resource library too. 

Short Order

Want to optimise for the world’s second-largest search engine? YouTube has just enhanced its Shorts toolkit, adding Auto Layout, Text-to-Speech, enhanced captions, and more. With these tools, creating engaging Shorts is simpler and more fun, drawing in 70 billion daily views.

Explore new features that keep your subjects perfectly framed, bring your captions to life, and invite viewer interaction with the ‘Add Yours’ sticker. Celebrate Minecraft’s anniversary with themed effects, and experiment with innovative remix capabilities.

YouTube is also boosting creator support, with new ways to interact live and earn through the Partner Programme. Interested in longer Shorts? YouTube is considering extending video lengths based on creator feedback.

These updates make creating and watching YouTube Shorts more accessible and entertaining, giving creators like you more ways to connect and earn.

Our take? As YouTube remains the second-largest search engine globally—with over 2.5 billion logged-in users monthly and more than 1 billion hours of video consumed daily—it’s crucial for businesses engaged in content creation to leverage these new tools. Jump on board, test out these features, and see how they can amplify your reach and impact.

It’s an opportunity too valuable to miss for anyone looking to enhance their digital presence! Need help with video creation, or have more questions – send us an email or text!

Smuggle Savvy

Ah, the European summer—a siren call for Aussie millennials eager to explore the sparkling seas of Santorini and the cozy cafes of Croatia. Yet, despite their wanderlust, many still stumble into those classic travel blunders that can make any seasoned traveller cringe.

According to fresh data from YouGov, commissioned by Wise, a whopping 69% of Aussie millennials confess to these common slip-ups while jet-setting.

Enter Wise, armed with a cheeky collaboration with Budgy Smuggler, offering swimwear equipped with a special pocket perfect for your Wise card (plus every purchase puts you in the draw to win flights to Europe, to the value of $5k). No more currency calamities. Influencer Liam Moore puts it simply: “Don’t let bank fees soak up your holiday funds. With these cleverly designed swimmers, you can dive into your Euro trip without getting financially burned

We love this because it’s a clever collaboration that solves real consumer problems – while also creating buzz and driving engagement. Aussies love to laugh at themselves, and mixing humour with some practical solutions can turn even the mundane (like avoiding fees) into some pretty memorable marketing. 

Our takeaway for brands? So, next time you’re crafting a campaign, think about how you can blend humour, practicality, and a bit of local flavour to make your message resonate and your solutions stick. 

Bangers and Bangers?

It seems that lowest prices really are just the beginning at Bunnings…

We love a good collab – and we love good music too, so this news was aah music to our ears.

The iconic Aussie hardware store is in talks to host a rave with some of Australia’s biggest dance acts, sparked by a viral TikTok petition from a 19-year-old muso called KAila after he remixed the infamous Bunnings jingle. Headliners could include some other iconic Aussies, Peking Duk, who are also fueling this hardware-meets-house music hype. 

Bunnings Warehouse consistently tops YouGov’s best brand rankings and was recently crowned Australia’s best brand yet again. This success isn’t just a fluke; it’s a testament to Bunnings’ knack for understanding and engaging its customer base through innovative marketing and partnerships.

Back in March, they partnered with everyone’s favourite cartoon dog, Bluey. In this collab, they brilliantly brought the fictional ‘Hammerbarn’ to life, transforming select stores into this Bluey-inspired haven. Complete with Bluey-branded trolleys and engaging DIY workshops for kids, Bunnings not only enhanced their family-friendly image but also proved their prowess in creating memorable and meaningful experiences.

It’s this knack for tapping into the cultural zeitgeist in such a cheeky and engaging way (and let’s be honest, the sausages in bread) that keeps Bunnings at the top of YouGov’s best brand list. 

So, is it going to happen? We can only hope!

DM Dominance

Are your Instagram chat threads with loved ones an endless stream of posts and reels sent back and forth? Instagram’s latest algorithm shift is giving loads of weight to those ‘sends’ with Instagram’s chief, Adam Mosseri, disclosing that how often a piece of content is sent via DM (aka the ‘sends per reach’ metric) is crucial for ranking content. 

This metric evaluates the frequency with which a post is shared through direct messages compared to its overall viewership. By emphasising this ‘sends-to-reach’ ratio, it’s clear Instagram knows we love to share the love. That means that every time you hit ‘send’, you’re not just passing along content, you’re playing a big part in boosting its reach

It’ll be interesting to see how this changes the content that appears in our feeds – rather than creators encouraging likes or comments, they’ll be fishing for ‘sends’. 

For content creators, it’s a great reason to experiment with the ways you’ve been approaching your content creation, and if you’ve been seeing a dip in “reach” – not creating content that generates enough “sends” could be the reason. 

SEO To-Do List

We love a viral LinkedIn post – and this one is no different. SEO Strategist Samy Ben Sadock wrote of list of tasks involved in SEO (that’s search engine optimisation) which is a great insight for those who may not know all the ins and outs of it. 

It’s an ongoing task, that needs constant optimising, but it can pay dividends for a brand when done right. 

Keen To Dive In?

If you love what we’ve shared above and want to be kept in the loop with our weekly email, The Brief, you can sign up here. We’ll only send you things we love and think you’ll find useful, and you can unsubscribe at any time. And if you need some help exploring any of the above within your own marketing strategy, or you need a rebrand, a custom website built from scratch, Google or social ads, print materials, blog posts – or the whole lot – we’d love to chat. Drop us a line here.